NAVIsis has demonstrated an interesting new product at this year’s CeBIT, with its LaptopTablet, a device which allows you to turn a normal LCD notebook screen into a touch screen to give it features similar to tablet PCs. You simply attach it to the side of the screen, plug it into a USB port and start writing/ drawing. The recommended price is $130 and more information can be found here – presumably it works with all LCD screens, not just notebooks, but it looks like it could potentially scratch them if there isn’t a screen guard.

23 Comments on Turn Your Laptop into a Touch Screen

Looks cool.... but it's just asking to do damage to your laptop screen. They aren't built to stand up to the writing, and definitely aren't positioned well to support the screen flexing and the strain on the hinges.

The only good use i can think of is for graphic work.
And who wants to spend all day drawing on the screen with their arm at that awkward angle. Graphics tablets exist for a reason, they are probably more accurate too.

Its usually infrared if the computers textbook i read last is correct.
For touch screens they used infrared, im not sure about in this case though, it isnt exactly a touch screen.

But yeah what they do usually is have two infrared beams, one horizontally and one vertically. Wherever a beam is interupted is given an (x,y) value according to horizontal and vertical location and thats where your cursor or pen or whatever is located.

Which is whats strange about this as it has no vertical beam. They probably just find the horizontal point along which the persons finger exists by measuring the time it takes for the infrared to bounce back or something to that effect.

if they make it a bit more sturdy and with a screen protector...this would definately be an interesting buy. It would be cool if you could surf, type and navigate really easily, in place of a keyboard. That way, I would get away without a kb on my wifes comp Im gonna build.

by: WarEagleAUif they make it a bit more sturdy and with a screen protector...this would definately be an interesting buy. It would be cool if you could surf, type and navigate really easily, in place of a keyboard. That way, I would get away without a kb on my wifes comp Im gonna build.

by: ex_revenIt wouldnt change. What you draw on the screen is what you get.

Even an A5 tablet (8x11?) skews on a 22" display, you'd get some form of relative size/perspective error...unless they bought out "calibrated for __" models.

Also, somewhere someone's already made a ghetto version of this using an old Dell screen and a tablet...search around, I can't remember links (might find later when on different PC)
but basically he tore out the sensors behind the tablet surface and placed it in the back of his monitor.
Looked awesome :rockout: we all know ghetto is the way to gho..